Inklingo

How to Say "lens" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “lens” is “cristal” — use 'cristal' when referring to the glass part of a watch face, or a similar protective, transparent cover..

English → Spanish

cristal

krees-TAHL/krisˈtal/

nounB1optics
Use 'cristal' when referring to the glass part of a watch face, or a similar protective, transparent cover.
A single, large, cut crystal prism resting on a dark surface, catching light and showing subtle rainbow colors.

Examples

El reloj tiene un cristal de zafiro muy resistente a arañazos.

The watch has a sapphire crystal very resistant to scratches.

Encontraron un hermoso cristal de cuarzo en la cueva.

They found a beautiful quartz crystal in the cave.

objetivo

ohb-heh-TEE-voh/oβ.xeˈti.βo/

nounC1camera, microscope
Use 'objetivo' specifically for the optical component of a camera, microscope, or telescope.
A detailed but simplified illustration of the glass lens element of a camera.

Examples

Necesito limpiar el objetivo de mi cámara antes de tomar fotos.

I need to clean the lens of my camera before taking photos.

El microscopio tiene varios objetivos de aumento.

The microscope has several objective lenses for magnification.

Specific Usage

When used in photography or science, 'objetivo' almost always means the physical glass element that focuses light.

Cristal vs. Objetivo

The most common mistake is using 'cristal' when referring to a camera lens. Remember that 'cristal' is typically the glass cover of something like a watch, while 'objetivo' is the functional optical part of a camera or microscope.

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